Title: Walking In My Shoes
Author: Kelly and Mike (collaborative writing team)
Email: Click Here
Posted: 11/29/06 - 12/07/06
Rating: Chapters range from PG-15 to NC-17
Content: Fluff, Romance, Drama.
Summary: Written for a challenge proposed on the Stranger Things message board. Challenge By rousedower. An AU/TT Challenge: Angel goes to another dimension, hence AU, somehow. And in this dimension he is married to Cordy and they have kids. But something happened to the other Angel (he's missing or dead), so there's mad tension and what not between this Angel and AU!Cordy. She knows he's not her Angel, but the kids (a boy and girl) are pretty young and think he's their father. I imagine a scene where their little daughter asks him to read her a bedtime story/tuck her in with Cordy trying to explain to her that he's not her father (really), and he does it.
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Notes: Cast List: Kelly writes for Cordelia, Gunn, Lorne, Lillian, Kat, Ian, Illyria/Fred, Lilah, Eve, Faith, Gwen. Mike writes for Angel(us), Connor, Wes, random filler chars.
Feedback: Yes, please. Tell us how we are doing!

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Chapter Thirty-Three - Continued

It was the same scene as the night before, only with one vampire short. The two newbies were at the bar, chatting up two girls. They were on the prowl for dinner. Their sire might be dead but they really could care less. It just meant one less meal that they had to share with the old coot.

Angel stepped in the main lodge and glanced around. He couldn't sense vampires the same as he had when he was one but something was making his stomach a bit weird feeling. That feeling one gets like its not quite time to vomit but if it’s not taken care of soon you will hurl your last several meals. He made his way from the lobby to the bar and saw the source of his discomfort.

The two vampires felt something strange as well. They felt a Slayer. Both of them turned their head, trying to find who was causing this feeling. It had been a lot more of a pain in the ass since all the Slayers had been called at once. They could handle one untrained Slayer. Moving away from the bar, they both stepped outside to draw her out.

He watched the vampires step out and as they did he stepped up to the girls. "Ladies," he said to them, "don't expect your dates back." After that he moved on, following them. He knew what they were up to and what they were expecting. Stepping out, he looked to where the vampires had gone and strolled that way. "You know, it’s nice of you guys not to want to dirty up the lodge."

The younger of the duo looked over at Angel. He had been the one that had been giving them trouble last night. Neither of them were in the habit of warning a fellow vampire, especially one that killed their Sire, that a Slayer was on the loose. "You got a problem or something?"

Angel looked to the side a moment with only a movement of his eyes. "Yeah," he said. "My problem is that you made a midnight snack out of those girls last night and about to do the same to these." He looked back at them. "I'm not going to let it happen."

This was not shaping up to be their night. First, they were going to have to deal with a Slayer, and second, they were going to have to deal with the guy who off'ed their Sire. The older one spoke up. "We will get off your turf if it’s such a big deal."

Angel stepped on forward. "See, that's the problem," he replied back. "No matter where you go you're on my turf." Getting as close as he was to them, he realized that they should be sensing he was on the breathing side of things now as compared to last night. Then when in range, Angel brought his leg up to kick the nearest one. He flicked his wrist to bring out the spring loaded stake from his sleeve to strike it for the second fledgling.

The younger one was not prepared or trained for this kind of fighting. He had barely been a vampire inside of a month. The stake landed right on target, turning him to dust. The second one, the older one, was far more skilled though. He blocked the kick by grabbing Angel's leg. He twisted Angel's leg, waiting to hear the snap.

Angel hopped up on the one foot to spin with that turn to save his leg. He did land on his side in the snow covered ground. He was right back up with a hurling adz pulled and he took a swing to hit the vampire with it.

The fellow vampire hadn't expected such trouble on what should have been a fantastic vacation. He ducked when Angel swung at him but he punched the other man hard in the stomach. The blow should have been enough to send Angel reeling.

Angel was knocked back. He was lucky that he managed to tighten his ab muscles before the blow, but it still took some out of him.

There weren't a lot of choices of weapon but the vampire wasn't going to let up. As Angel stumbled back, the vampire was on him, tackling him to the ground. He rained a quick succession of blows down, trying to connect with Angel's face.

As the vampire swung in his blows Angel brought up the hand with the stake to shove it into the vampire's left side just below his arm. He made sure to shove hard so it would go in deep.

The stake did hit its mark but before it could pierce his heart, the vampire was up and stumbling away from Angel. He growled before yanking the stake free from his body. He held onto it since it would serve as a weapon to teach this guy a lesson. He came at Angel once more, using his pain to fuel the fight.

From his other sleeve, a stake appeared and he came up to meet the vampire. "Will you just die," Angel said as he rammed the second stake home.

The vampire managed to dodge the second stake. He really did enjoy being a vampire so he wasn't about to go down that easily. To avoid the stake, he had to back off from Angel though.

"Okay, pal," Angel spoke to the vampire, "you're really screwing up my evening here. I've got a very sexy lady waiting on me and an Irish stew cooking over an open fire. This is just really messing all that up." With that Angel took up the adz again.

"You killed my sire and my brother AND chased off my dinner. I think I win for having the worse night." He still had the stake in his hand. He went for Angel again, stake raised. He tried to bring it down into Angel's chest. He could make out the guy's heartbeat and smell the mortality on him. But a stake to the heart isn't exactly a pleasant experience, mortal or vampire.

When the vampire rushed him Angel moved quickly, grabbing that arm with the stake and twisted, flipping the vampire over. "Your sire was a prancing, ass kissing, poof," he said as he spun to bring that adz down, aiming for the vampire's neck.

At least it was over quickly as the adz cut through the vampire's neck, severing head from body. It was only a moment before the body that was once solid was now dust.

Angel stood straight now. He looked down where that body was and now it looked like somebody tossed out the ashes from the fire pit of a fireplace. After this fight he found he could still go badass on demons without being one. Though he decided he was going to have to do more intense work on this abs since now he could have the wind knocked from him. He gathered his stakes and headed on back for the cabin and his waiting dinner and dessert.

While Angel was gone, Cordelia amused herself by lighting some candles to lead the way out to the hot tub. She knew that dinner could wait just a bit longer. They had spent the day eating and enjoying the sun. They hadn't had a chance to enjoy each other, to test out Angel's human body. She had two glasses of wine poured, waiting next to the hot tub. She was waiting just inside, waiting to hear him come through the door.

Angel entered the cabin. Pausing, he noticed the dimmed lights. In fact it seemed the lights were out and candles were illuminating the cabin. The aroma of the stew also gave a very welcoming feel to the cabin. He walked by the counter and grabbed an apple. He could understand why Buffy and Faith acted like they did now after a fight, hunger hit. He took a bite from the apple and followed the trail of candles.

Once she heard the door open and closed, Cordelia grinned. She knew Angel was back from taking care of those two vampires. She stepped out and slipped out of her robe as she headed to the hot tub. She shivered as the cold air hit her naked skin but she resolved that quickly by sliding into the hot tub.

He paused now in the doorway taking another bite of the apple and looking at the hot tub and what was in it.

She moved to the edge of the hot tub that was closest to him. She rested her arms on it, looking at him. "Are you just going to stand there all night or are you going to come join me?"

Finishing the apple, he put the core down. He slowly chewed as he undressed, pulling off the sweater and kicking off his shoes as the same time. When undressed he shivered and quickly got into the hot water then smiled and moved over to Cordy. "Hmmm, is this the way normal humans welcome each other home after a hard day's work?"

She moved through the water so that she could slide easily into Angel's arms. "I am not a normal human. I am extraordinary, remember? No, this is a purely Cordelia greeting." She kissed him softly. She just barely brushed her lips against his.

He kissed her back and pulled back but barely. "I like that even better," he said. He moved his hand under the water up her leg.

"How did your new Slayer self work out with the vampires?" She didn't really feel like talking shop but she wanted to make sure that she had made the right choice in changing him. He didn’t seem upset and he sure wasn't brooding. She took those both as a good sign.

"Well, I'm here," he said. "They are just dust in the wind." Leaning to her neck, he kissed her skin and then moved up to her ear and nibbled.

"Doesn't look like you got hurt either. At least, not bad enough to ruin my little night of seduction." She snickered softly as she felt his lips against her neck and then at her ear. She didn't move away but she maneuvered so that she could grab the wine.

She could seduce him in a burlap bag and she knew it. Well, it seems the slaying made him hungry in more then one way. He nipped at her earlobe as she moved.

She laughed once more as he continued to nip her earlobe. "Angel...What has gotten into you? I know I am sexy as hell but I had a plan here. Candles, wine, hot tub. You are ruining my grand seduction."

"Hmm...All I know is right now I just want you," he said as he nuzzled her hair. His hand was slipping up the inside of her thigh under the water.

"Wow...I must be really good if all it takes is some candles and a hot tub. Then again, part of me is worried you are working the serious Liam thing here. So I am going to say that if you ever go out and cheat on me with some blonde, I will kill you." Her voice was entirely serious because she was serious about it. She took a sip from her wine and then put the glass back. It was clear that he wasn't interested in a before dessert drink.

"How could I go out and take up scraps," he said as he put on the brogue, "when I have the best right here in my arms?" His other hand he did reach for his glass and he drank. Then he put it back down.

"You keep that kind of talk up and we will do just fine. Oh hey look, you can get drunk again. I am sure the Irish in you is happy." She chuckled as she watched him put his glass back down. She took another sip from her own wineglass. She didn't want to drink too much.

"I could get drunk before, but it took a fortune to do it," he replied. "But do you really want to get me drunk?"

"No. I want you to make incredible, amazing, mind blowing love to me. Tonight and for every night for the rest of our lives. I want to feel your body against mine, moving with mine. I want you. I love you. I need you." She leaned forward against to press her lips against his. This was wholly different from the soft kiss of before. She crushed her body against his as her lips stayed on his.

Angel returned that kiss and his hand went from her thigh to her sex and began to stroke her as she kissed him. He felt his heart start to race and more then the heat of the tub was making things warm.

Now they both had that habit of breathing to contend with. She broke the kiss, panting lightly. She looked into his eyes. "Do you want to stay here or...?” Her voice trailed off, fading into a soft moan as his fingers brushed against her sex.

Moving Cordy, he stood then reached down to pick her up. He moved quickly out of the hot tub and into the cabin. When at the rug in front of the fireplace, he laid her down. He just looked down at her a moment before he started kissing her again.

She knew that at least this time in front of the fireplace, on that rug, wouldn't end in her near death. She tilted her chin up to meet his lips in yet another searing kiss. She could feel the heat from their lips moving right down her spine to form a burst right in her middle.

Breaking the kiss he slid down her body, kissing ever inch of skin as he did. At her breast he licked the nipple then took it in his mouth and began to suck. With his left hand he worked her right breast not wanting it to feel ignored.

The sensations were so different now. After years of feeling his cool touch against her hot skin, it was completely different to feel the warm softness of his hands and the heat of his mouth and tongue. She moaned once again, turning her body slightly. The feeling of the fur on her back was fantastic as well as she shifted again to have it brush against her.

The sensations Angel was feeling in his own body were new. The experience was like the first time. As human, Liam wasn't a saint or virgin but he was never in love with the women he had sex with. They were just there to satisfy his need. They were whores and starry eyed young girls that were all seduced by his good looks and his family's position in the village. The heat his body was creating caused beads of sweat to pearl on his shoulders and back. He moved his attention to her other breast, taking the nipple in his mouth then slipping his hand down to her mound.

Once again, she felt those soft, warm, all together human fingers against her sex. Her body responded before her brain could tell it to, moving to press back against his hand. She had been thinking of this, of him, all day so she was already more than ready. This was just an added bonus, when all the attentions for the evening were on her.

His fingers slipped on down to her heat. He stroked her then pressed a finger into her. His mouth kept sucking on her breast softly then hard then softly again. He moaned as he took in all these new sensations and feelings. They were old but new all at once.

"Angel..." She said his name softly, partway between a whisper and a moan. She shuttered just a bit as his stroking fingers brushed over her. "Lay down..." Again, her voice still was that combination of barely there and on the verge of moaning.

Raising his head he looked at her face but his hand kept working. Then slowly he moved his hand from her and laid back, not saying anything.

She waited for him to lay back before she moved her body over his. She kissed him, gently at first and then deepened it. She pushed her tongue against his lips as her hands moved down his sides.

He parted his lips for her, meeting his tongue to hers. His hands moved down her back, warm fingers feeling every inch of her skin as they went.

Cordelia could feel that she wasn't going to have to worry about getting Angel ready. She could feel the evidence of that pressed between their bodies. Her hands slipped between them, taking him in her hand. She never once broke the kiss between them now. She wouldn't until the last possible moment when she had to breathe. She didn't want it to end.

Angel had to break the kiss when she took hold of him. He looked up at her. "Cordelia, I love," he said in a hoarse, whispering tone.

She grinned at him when he couldn't finish his sentence. "Love what? Love what I am doing to you? What I am going to do to you? Or is this the "I love the Detroit Red Wings" sort of thing." She kept looking down at him, even as she started to sit up.

He swallowed hard. "All of the above and then some," he replied as he muscles in his gut and groin tightened.

"I am about to make red hot love to you and you actually agree to the loving the Detroit Red Wings thing? Not exactly a turn on for me, Ace. You better try again." She was teasing him now, her hand moving slowly up and down against him. They both knew that she wouldn't deny them for long but she wanted to have a little bit of the game.

"Uh, yeah, all that and more," he said. "But I think the more means you and what you're doing now and going to do."

"And what exactly is it that you think I am going to do? Talking about a hockey team during foreplay doesn't get me hot. I am not Faith." She snickered a little as she made that joke but it was oddly true.

"I never mentioned a hockey team, you did," Angel replied to her in self defense. He shifted a little under her attentions.

"It was a test and you failed. You really need to say something to make it up to me now." She took her hand off him, putting both of them on his chest. She looked down at him. She was waiting. She could feel his pulse, his heartbeat, through his chest. It was a totally new feeling but not unwelcome.

Angel didn't say anything he just came up on his left elbow and then with his right hand he placed behind her head and pulled her to him for a kiss. It was deep and loving putting his feelings into what he couldn't express with words.

That was more than fine with her. She had just been teasing him, playing with him, but the kiss they shared told her that the game was over for now. There were plenty of other times to harass Angel about his foot in mouth disease. She reluctantly pulled her lips away from his, sitting up now. She curled her fingers around him once more and this time, instead of teasing him, she used her hand to guide him into her heat.

Laying back, Angel let his right hand slowly move down Cordelia's body as she slid him into her. His hand went down her arm and leg then back up with both hands. He moved them over her stomach then up to her breasts. He throbbed in her.

She settled down into his lap so that she could give herself a chance to get used to the feelings. It was completely different than before. He was human now, warm and slightly yielding. She leaned down to kiss him once more before she slowly rolled her hips forward and back.

Smiling up at her, he started moving with her. Feeling her tighten on him as she moved caused him to arch his back a bit. Kissing her back he ran a finger down her back lightly, knowing her slight tickle spot in her lower back.

When his fingers brushed over that sensitive spot on her lower back, she surged forward, her entire body tightening. She broke the kiss to look at him with a smile. "What do you think you are doing?" She said to him, her voice coming out a bit labored.

"What do you think I'm doing," he answered with a mischievous grin. That grin that had long ago been lost but now was able to push to the surface, free of the demon that held it back for so long.

"I think you are enjoying yourself while I do all the work." She smiled as she said it. She leaned down to kiss him once again. Her lips gently pressed to his as she slowly lifted her hips up and then down against him. She wanted to make this last, to make love to him as oppose to a quick screw.

"I'm sure I'll have my chance to take up some of that horrible," he began to say then she kissed him. "...work," he finished when the kiss was broke. He started to move his hips again, meeting her, matching her with ease.

"About time..." She said. She was breathing harder now as she moved. She sat up some, resting her hands against his chest. She looked down at him and kept her eyes with his. She was watching him as she ground her hips down to meet his.

Angel closed his eyes with the pleasure all old and new combined. When Cordy would grind down on him he would push his hips to meet her. Finally he opened his eyes to look up at her and what he saw was pleasure and beauty. The way her lips parted just a bit...The look in her eyes...She was perfect.

She moved forward once more, putting her lips against his neck. She alternated between kissing his skin and moaning against the side of his neck. With each movement forward and back, her breasts rubbed against his chest. She moved his hands to hold her hips as she sped up.

He held her hips and when she moaned his fingers pressed into her. He started speeding up. The pressure was building to his climax and sweat beaded up on his body.

So many times she had been on the receiving end of a bite. She now could safely return the favor to him. She sucked the side of his neck, taking the skin in between her lips and teeth. When she started to climax, she bit him lightly. She wanted it to be a love bite, a hickey, and a mark of hers that would be on him for at least a day. Her entire body went shock still as she climaxed.

Angel gasped at the bite and the climax. Coldness didn't flow from him...It was pure heat. He brought one arm up to put his hand at the back of her head, fingers working into her hair.

That was yet another completely different sensation for her. It didn't click in her mind that after years of not having to worry about pregnancy, that was now a very real possibility. She took her teeth from his skin but she still sucked on his skin. The pressure of her on his skin eased up as her climax eased off her.

Angel laid there, still and quiet. His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. His breathing was heavy. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him as he softened in her.

She took her lips from his neck. She settled against him as she tried to catch her breath and calm down. She kept her eyes closed, her cheek resting on his shoulder. It was so different to have a hot body touching her own feverish skin.

"That...That was...," Angel tried to put in words, "wow." His voice was hoarse.

She smiled but she didn't move from where she was. "Thanks. I do my best." She patted his chest lightly with her hand. She didn't want to get up but dinner smelled good and her stomach was rumbling. "We need to refuel before we do that again."

Angel looked over at the pot over the fire. "Yeah," he agreed, "I'm hungrier now then I was when I got back. I think from now on we're going to have to have snacks by the bed because after killing those two vamps I was hungry and horny."

She started to move off him. She didn't want to but she was hungry too. She stood up, looking down at him. "I will go get our robes. And you know we can always combine the two. You had to have seen Nine and a Half Weeks."

He sat up when she got off him. He grabbed the poker, hooked it over the rod that the pot hung on, and pulled it out of the fireplace. "This is going to be so good," he told her. "Back in the day rabbit used to go in more instead of chicken."

"Aww, no. No poor bunnies will be harmed in the preparing of dinner." She headed up the stairs to the loft sleeping area to get their robes. She put hers on and slipped her feet into her slippers. She came back downstairs with his robe and a pair of slippers for him too. "How about we just sit on the floor and eat in front of the fireplace?"

Standing, he took his robe from her and slipped it on then the slippers. "I like that idea," he said as he went back to the kitchen to grab some bowls and utensils. Coming back he first dipped her stew and handed it to her. Then he dipped his. "You know how long I've wanted to eat like this again?"

"Like 250 years?" She gave him a smile as she took the food from him. She sat with her back against the couch. She reached for a spoon. "The kids are going to be so happy. Now you can take them out for ice cream and eat it. You can come with us to a real beach. You can teach them how to ride a bike."

“I'll be able to go to Ian's little league games...teach Katy to ride a pony...” He smiled as he took a bite.

She moved so that she could get as close to him as possible. "Not sure how many ponies you are going to find in L.A. But, you can take Ian out to see Xander and all you boys can do paintball." She waited for her spoonful to cool off before she took a bite of it.

"Xander," he said. "Are you kidding? He'd cry like a baby on the first shot."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, like you have ever taken a paintball to the butt. Xander plays it with Ian all the time. And neither of them cries. They wear those stupid bruises like badges of courage. Count me out. I will just go shopping or something."

"And I bet when he gets home alone he whines 'MAMA'," he chuckled and took his next bite. "So, how's that stew?"

"It’s really good. It’s just what I needed." She smiled at him. She laid her head on his shoulder. "Thanks for dinner. It’s nice to have someone cooking for me all the time."

Finishing, he set his bowl aside. "Well, stew is always best on cold, winter nights," he said. "I can remember how the smell would fill the house. That's the good thing about cooking like this; you can taste it before you even get to eat."

"Well, it never really gets cold enough in L.A. for this sort of food. Maybe in a few years, once the school is paid off and we are a bit more in the black, we can buy a little place up here. I like this, just you and I, alone." She meant without the kids. She loved the twins but they afforded very little privacy for things like this.

He slipped his arm back behind her. "It is really nice," Angel agreed. "But we wouldn't know what to do if we didn't have the kids always around. And now, Grandma, we have another generation to add."

Her nose wrinkled up and she poked him in the side. "Don't call me Grandma. I hate that. Grandmas should be old. I am not even 30 yet." She put her empty bowl aside for now so she could snuggle closer to him.

Angel flinched with her poke and grinned. "I'm gonna get one of those plates for your car that says ‘Sexy Grandma’."

Her jaw dropped and she turned her full body to look at him. "Angel, no. You better not. I will divorce you so fast; it will make your head spin!" She was so serious about that. She wasn't sure if he was joking or if he was being serious as well.

"Yeah, well you are," he told her. "Sexy wife, mother, friend....Just all around sexy." He looked at her and brought up a finger to tap her nose lightly.

"Let's keep it as sexy wife, mother, and friend for now.” She gave him just a little bit of a smile but damn if she wasn't serious about killing him if he got her anything that said 'grandma'. "How about we try that hot tub again and then you can take me to bed?"

"And she's psychic too," he said like he was surprised. "Damn, I couldn't ask for more." Getting up, he pulled her up. He put her over his shoulder and headed out for the hot tub.

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Chapter Thirty-Four

Ian was playing with his radio control truck. It was giving rides to his dinosaur, GI Joe, and Wookiee action figures. He was making all the sound effects to go along with it, annoying Katy while she sat on the poof reading.

"We'll dodge the COBRA forces then make for the moon of Yavin where we'll get the Jedi's help along with the Dinotransformers," he said in a very commanding voice. Ian was sort of mixing up all his favorite characters in this play of his as the truck ripped through the lobby and hit the side of the poof. "RED ALERT! We're in the land of the giants!"

Kat lowered her book. She shot a glare at her brother as he rammed his truck into where she was reading. She smacked him on the top of the head. "Ian. Stop it. I am trying to read." She looked around, trying to find Lillian or Aunt Fred. Even Connor would be preferred to get Ian to behave.

"Hey! I can play too," he said and sent his truck off again. "Into the asteroid field! NNNnnnnrrrrrrrrrraaaaaw!" Around the front desk the truck zoomed.

"You are playing. You are playing so loud, I can't read!" She grabbed a pillow from the poof and she tossed it at Ian. She had a very good aim so it hit him squarely in the face.

"AUNT FRED! KATY IS THROWING THINGS," he yelled. Probably everyone in the hotel could hear from basement to the top floor.

Fred came running out from the side of the hotel where they had long ago set up a makeshift lab for her. She pushed a pair of glasses up on her face. "I thought you two were going to be good while I finished up my new UV weapon. Where is Connor?" Fred began looking around for the young man.

"He went upstairs a minute to take some things for Lily up," Ian replied. Out came the truck and it raced right by Fred's feet. "Katy says I'm 'rupting her reading."

She smiled and crouched down. She picked up one of Ian's toys to look at it. "You could always play out in the garden. Or if Kat wants to read out there. It’s a beautiful sunny day and sunshine is good for growing people. Not vampires though. Sunshine, not good for your dad. But for kids like you, sun is good."

Ian shook his head. “News had a smog alert on for today. Connor heard it and wouldn't let us go out." He watched Fred as she picked up the toy. "If I turned to a vampire when I'm big will Willow get me my soul? Or you or Uncle Wes?"

Fred frowned just a little bit when Ian said that. She was pretty sure that Angel would not be happy with Ian talking about being a vampire. "Ian, why do you want to be a vampire?"

Kat lowered her book, rolling her eyes mightily at her twin. "You are an idiot. Daddy used to be cursed and he did lots of bad things. Uncle Wes has to give up something big so Daddy could be happy. Why would you want to be a vampire? That is the stupidest thing I ever heard."

Ian looked back to Katy with a scowl. "If daddy wasn't a vampire you wouldn't be alive, dooky head," he told her. He looked back to Fred and shrugged. "So I could fight like him and do cool stuff like him."

"You don't have to be a vampire to do that. Everyone here does that. Connor isn't a vampire, neither is Lillian. Uncle Wes and Uncle Gunn aren't vampires. Neither are me or Aunt Faith. What about your mom? She fights and does cool stuff and she is most definitely not a vampire. Then again, we don't know what she is. We could never isolate what demon part she was exactly." Fred trailed off, lost in her own thoughts for the moment.

"And nobody knows what Connor really is either," he reminded her, out of the mouth of babes."'Member the antiviolence spell works on him too."

"But you can still be a good fighter and not be a vampire. We don't know what your mom is. And you and Kat are very special because of that. You are super fast and very strong. Kat feels things like how other people feel. You are going to be a great Champion, Ian, just the way you are." Fred grinned; satisfied with herself that she had explained it all well enough to the young boy.

Ian stood there a moment then suddenly Fred had the boy hugging her leg. Unlike his sister Ian thrived on reassurance that he was important to the family.

Fred reached down and gave the little boy a proper hug. She smiled at him. "Didn't you go out and hunt those monsters with your dad? Pretty soon, he will be taking you out every night to patrol with him, especially when Lillian's baby comes. Then Connor will have to stay home and be a daddy. Angel will really need someone to take care of him. You think you can take care of Angel? Keep him safe?"

Looking up at her he nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "I take care of Katy every night and chase the monsters out of the room so they don't eat her." He motioned for Fred to lower so he could whisper to her.

Kat just rolled her eyes once more at Ian. She was trying to read here. If it wasn't for the smog alert, she would have gone outside. She shut her book. She could hang around the garden for just a few minutes. She got up and left, taking her book with her

Fred got down on her knees, hands resting on her thighs. She waited to hear what the little boy would whisper to her.

"Monsters like to eat girls," he whispered to her. "They like them better then boys." Ian watched his sister walk out to the garden.

Fred had to restrain her laughter at that. She just nodded her head. "Guess that is why the princess and not the prince always gets kidnapped. I guess dragons just like the taste." Fred watched Kat go out into the garden. It would probably be okay for the young girl to be out there for a few minutes. "Charles will be here soon and I bet he has a new video game for you."

"Cool," Ian exclaimed. "I kicked his butt in the last one." He was proud that he beat Uncle Gunn. "You gonna watch me kick his butt on the new one?"

"I will watch for a little bit but Wes should be here soon and we are working on something. I am sure you could ask him to play though, take a break. You can beat him too. Uncle Wes isn't very good at video games, is he?"

"Yeah, I know," Ian said stepping away rolling his eyes. "I beat him even in Katy's games." With that he turned to go get his truck and toys.

Kat sat by herself out in the garden. She had picked the spot by the roses where the sunlight could stream down on her. She sat on a little patch of grass, turning her face skyward. It felt nice to have the sun on her face. She was starting to get little freckles around her nose and cheeks. It was also nice to just have the quiet of the garden, a place that was without Ian for now.

Angel and Cordelia had already pulled into the alley to unload the car before Kat had come out. Angel had a couple of suit cases when he stepped through the gate to see his daughter. This time of the day the side of the garden where the gate was had shade on over to the covered area just outside the door of the hotel. He sat the cases down and walked on over to her, his shadow cast long before her as he moved into the sun.

Kat saw her father's shadow but more importantly, she felt him. He felt different. She was very worried that it was yet again, a 'wrong' Angel. She looked up at him and saw that he was about to get into the sun. She jumped up and rushed to him. She shoved him back with all her might, towards the shadows. "DADDY! NO!"

"Whoa, kiddo," he said and he reached down and picked her up. "It’s okay. Really." His touch on her was warm.

"Daddy...your hand..." She reached for it after he picked her up. She could feel the warmness of his skin. "What happened? Are you okay? Is mommy okay?" Her lower lip was quivering and she was about to cry. She could feel that something was different, even if she didn't have the warm touch to clue her in.

"Katy, everything is more then fine," he told her. "Your mom is coming. She's getting a few things out of the car. We'll explain when the whole family is together." He gave her a hug, holding her tight.

She threw her arms around her father's neck and hugged him tightly. Now he really had to worry about her cutting off his air supply with one of those hugs. "You are different. Why are you different?" She didn't want to have to wait for the rest of the family. She wanted her answers now. And if it took her bursting into tears, she was going to get them.

"Uh, Katy," he said a bit strained. "Katy, a bit tight with the hug." He waited for her to relax just a bit. When he did he moved to the bench and sat down with her. "It’s kind of a long story, that's why I want to wait. But I will say I am human now so we can do all the things we couldn't before."

Kat did let up on the hug, which caused her even more confusion. She sat on her father's lap and looked up at her as he spoke to her. She reached up to touch his face, to feel the warmth again. "Did you Mu-shu?"

"Shanshu," he said with a chuckle. "And I guess so, with your mother's help." As he said that he looked to the gate to hear Cordelia coming.

Cordelia looked at Angel with Kat in the garden. "You really aren't going to make me carry all these bags in by myself, are you?" She lifted up her makeup case to show that she was bringing something in. "He turns human and he thinks it gets him out of heavy lifting." She rolled her eyes and headed inside of the hotel. She had overheard Kat and her father talking. Ian would probably be jealous that Kat had found out first.

When Cordelia stepped in she was met by Hurricane Ian. He saw his mother from across the lobby and jumped up from his play to run for her. "MOMMY!"

"Hey kiddo." She crouched down so that she could gather the young boy up into her arms. It was a gesture that they had done over and over again. "Were you good for your brother and your aunts and uncles while Dad and I were gone?"

"You bet," he said as he hugged her. He was Momma's boy.

Connor was coming down the stairs when he saw Cordelia. "Gee, finally," he said. "Thought you both were taking the chance and skipping out while you could."

"I thought about it." Cordelia smiled at Connor when he came down the stairs. "Lillian resting?" She imagined so. She remembered when she was about that far along and sleep was always good to grab when you could. She picked Ian up so they could all walk into the Hyperion. She knew Angel wanted to share his good news.

"Yeah," Connor nodded. "She had a really bad night last night. Baby was really active." He met her by the front desk. "So, where is the old man?"

"He is still outside with Kat. Should be coming in soon." Cordelia set Ian down on the front desk counter so he could sit up high. "Rub her back, right in the middle of the lower back. Does wonders. And it’s your job now."

Fred heard more voices than just the twins and Connor so she came out once more from her lab. She pushed her glasses up on her face again but beamed at the sight of Cordelia. "That is great. It worked. I knew it was going to work. Wes is an expert with those potions. And The Powers told you. How could it not work?" Fred was so excited that she couldn't help but run over to give Cordy a hug.

Ian frowned at his mother. "What worked, Mommy," he asked. He didn't like not knowing.

Connor also had that same scowl on his face. But before Cordelia could answer Angel came in with Katy. "Don't be ganging up on your mother now you two." Angel came into the lobby carrying Katy over his shoulder. She was giggling. Ian saw his father and ran for him and grabbed onto his leg. Now Angel walked with one rugrat on his shoulder and one clinging to his leg. "I seem to have developed a problem," he said with a grin. It still hadn't connected with Ian yet that his father had come in from the garden instead of the entry that led up from the garage.

She saw that scowl that was on Connor's face. "What we talked about in the park, Connor." She shook her head, she looked over at Ian. "I am going to let Dad tell it. Don't worry; everyone else should be here soon. I called them when we were coming into the city."

Connor's brows rose at that. His jaw dropped a bit then finally he looked at Cordelia and managed to speak. "You mean...it...him...," he said in a broken sentence and didn't finish. Connor looked at his father taking in with his senses. He didn't get any indication of him being anything but human. There was a heart beat, he was warm and breathing. He knew what Cordy had said but seeing it was something else.

Cordelia nudged Connor gently when she saw that he was speechless and his jaw was on the floor. "It takes some getting used to, which is for sure." She barely had time to say that before Gunn and Faith were walking into the hotel, loaded down with plastic bags filled with sandwiches, chips, and drinks.

Faith glanced at Angel, looking him up and down. Her Slayer sense wasn't giving her a good punch in the uterus so she knew Angel was no longer a vampire. She just raised a brow at him as she set her bags on the counter. "You sure we got enough food if Angel here is eating now." She did have a way of ruining the surprise.

Gunn was quick on Faith's heels. He glanced to Angel, covered in kids, and then away. That scene wasn't any different than any other day around here. He set his share of the bags down and stood next to Connor. He looked confused when Faith spoke. "What are you talking about, woman?"

"What she means, Gunn," Angel said as he finally managed to get kid free for a moment, "is that, well, I'm breathing again, bro." He grinned as he looked at Gunn.

Gunn blinked for a moment to let it sink in. They had all knew about the whole Shanshu thing. It was sort of Angel's "thing". He nodded his head. He reached into the bag, pulling out a beer. He tossed it to Angel. "Good, now I won't have to kill you eventually."

Angel caught the beer. "Don't think I still can't kick your ass, though.” He grinned and he looked back to rest of the group then to Cordy.

Ian looked up at his father then to his mother. "He's not a vampire?" His little face was pinched in thought.

Cordelia nodded her head. "Daddy is human now but he is still strong. He is like a male slayer now, Ian." She was hoping that the young boy could understand that. She looked around and then back to Fred. "Where is Wes? We owe him a big thank you for the potion."

Fred chewed her lower lip and then smiled just a little bit. "Wes went to pick up something at the courthouse. And then he was going to stop off to talk to someone. He should be here soon." They weren't going to have to worry about Wes and his deal with Bernie. It would be null and void within a few days.

Ian seemed to consider this. He still wasn't sure if he liked it or not. There was a cool factor in being able to brag your dad was a vampire, at least to him.

Connor finally spoke up at this point. "I need to go tell Lilian." With that, he headed for the stairs.

Cordelia saw that Ian had that look of concentration on his face. Angel would get the same look at times. She kneeled down and reached out for him. "Ian...come here." She waited for the young boy to come to her. "I know this is confusing for you. It’s change and that is always scary. Trust me, I know. I used to live a life without vampires or demons and I never thought I would be a mom. But then things changed and I wouldn't go back to the way it was for anything. This is a good thing, promise."

Ian looked from his mother to his father and then everyone else. He still was considering the cool factor in this. His expression hadn't changed much when he looked back to Cordelia. "Does this mean you're gonna make more babies now," he asked. Siblings meant he had to share more attention.

Cordy just had to laugh when Ian said that. She touched his forehead gently. "Hey now, you will always be my number one guy. Someone has to make sure that your dad doesn't get killed." She stood up and looked to Angel. "How about getting the table out of the closet and we can get this little celebration underway? Faith is eyeing those sandwiches like they might sprout legs and run off."

"I think I can stand a bite or two myself," Angel said as he went to get the table to set up. Just because they stopped at several places on the way home didn't seem to bother him for the prospect of another meal.

Cordelia rolled her eyes and she nudged Fred gently. "We already stopped at every single rest stop on the way down. The Angelmobile...filled with ding dongs and ho-ho and Suzy Q wrappers. You better develop some kind of pill to burn off all those calories."

Fred giggled as Cordelia nudged her. She couldn't imagine a pudgy Angel striking much fear into demons and vampires. That thought, made her giggle even more. "No cure for that except for lots of exercise and maybe to eat something a little better than processed chemicals and dyes. Something with all four food groups. You know, like tacos."

"I had a couple of those too," he said, his hearing still as sharp as ever as he called from the utility room where the table was.

Gunn just shook his head. He reached into the bag to get out a beer. He tossed one to Faith and then got one for himself, popping the top on it. "Better call Richard Simmons then. No good chasing down vampires if you rather be chasing down donuts." Gunn took a long drink from his beer before setting it down. He moved to the utility closet to see if Angel needed a hand.

Upstairs Connor entered his and Lillian's suite. He was planning on taking the fifth floor and making it their apartment. "Hey, babe," he said as he entered.

Lillian was lying down on her side on the couch. She had a pillow propped between her knees, a water bottle in her hand, and the television was on. She looked over to Connor and smiled at him. "Hey. Baby finally settled down."

"You know that talk we had with Mom in the park, the one where she was going to do that completely crazy insane thing that could have ended up with her dead," he said speaking a mile a minute as he approached her.

She raised a brow. She started to sit up as he approached her. "Yeah..." Her voice trailed off, unsure of what Connor was talking about here. Did it not work? When he started talking a mile a minute, she started to get nervous. She played with her wedding ring, twisting it around her finger.

"Well, it's Dad," he said to her. "You feel like there's a vampire in the building?" He grinned as he said this.

She paused for a moment and focused on her Slayer senses. It was amazing; she didn't feel any cramps from a vampire at all. "Wow...so your mom actually did it. That is...amazing." She shook her head, still not really believing it.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I was afraid I was going to have to...well, you know." He sat on the floor by the couch and his hand came up to touch her belly. "It’s about time something went right for this family."

"I think things are really going right, Connor. We are married, baby on the way. Your parents are happy, your dad is human. They have two great kids. Wes and Fred are getting married. And Gunn and Faith, well point them towards a fight, they are happy." She chuckled softly as she put her hand over his.

"Well, we're happy too," he said, "right?" His hand rubbed her belly. He still had a hard time wrapping it around his head he was going to be a father.

She grinned at him. "Of course we are happy. That is why I put us first. Aren't you happy about this? The baby and being married?" A brief bit of doubt crept up into her voice.

Connor looked up at her. "I am happier then I've ever been all my life." After he said that he came up and gave her a kiss.

She returned his kiss but broke away from him quickly. She moved to get up, struggling just some with it. She tried to move Connor out of the way. "Baby...bladder..." That was all she said as she went past him as fast as she could for the bathroom.

Downstairs Angel was busy talking to Gunn and Faith about the vamps at the lodge. Ian sat with his sister picking at his food. He looked up at Katy who seemed really happy with the turn of events.

Kat was beaming and she was happily munching on her sandwich and chips. She even allowed herself the treat of a soda. She hummed a song to herself and looked across the table at Ian. "What is your problem?"

"I know we wanted mom and dad happy," he glanced back to the adults then to his sister. He was talking their twinspeak. There were too many super hearing people around. "But dad is human now."

"What is wrong with that? He is still just as strong. He is stronger even. And he can come play with us outside." Kat paused for a moment and then her face lit up. "We can go to Disneyland for the whole day now with Da!"

"Yeah, but all the normal things that kill peoples can kill him now too," he said to her. "Bullets and knives...and a car or bus hitting him. What if the monsters find out about that? Huh?"

"But he is happy. Really happy. Look at him. He is glowing." She pointed over to their father, who was reenacting every bit of the fight for Gunn and Faith. Kat had never seen her father smile that much or be that animated. It was like someone had turned on a switch.

"So, what are they gonna call him," he asked. "His name still Angel or it gonna change back to his human name?" Ian was so trying to find something here that his sister would find wrong with this.

"He is still Angel. That is his name. He isn't human, he is a Slayer. And he is still The Champion." Kat finished off her sandwich and got to work on her chips. She wanted an ice cream sandwich too. She only hoped Uncle Gunn had remembered to get the kind she liked, with the three kinds of ice cream in the middle.

He was quiet for several minutes then he broke it. "So, when do you think we can get them to take us to Disneyland?"

Kat grinned. "I want to go this weekend. We only got to see it at night and go on a few rides. I bet its great during the day. I can't wait to meet Snow White and Ariel." Kat sighed happily, looking off for a moment.

"I want to see Captain Jack Sparrow," Ian said and then he jumped up from his seat. "Arg!"

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce entered the hotel. He stopped seeing the party going on and then looked to Cordy with a raised brow.

Cordelia was in the middle of talking to Fred about some ideas for the Slayer school when Wes finally decided to show his face. She was also keeping an eye on the kids. "Hey, Brownbum Ian, settle down please and finish your dinner." Cordelia glanced back to Wes now, speaking simply. "It worked."

Wes's gaze went to Angel, Gunn, and Faith talking about, what else battle and weapons. "So I see," he replied in his accented voice.

"We were going to wait until you got here to announce it all but well; the kids and Faith gave it away." She was more than happy to blame it on the brunette Slayer.

"Hey, I can't help it if he didn't give me cramps anymore." Faith shook her head as she overheard the conversation. She moved to the counter to get yet another sandwich and beer.

Wes just smiled a bit. "Well, then I suppose this is a good day to celebrate." Wes had his own surprise and he wasn't going to share just yet. He wanted his friend to have his time to enjoy his and his wife's own triumph.

Cordelia looks serious for a moment. "Wes, we couldn't have done this without you. I wouldn't have been able to get that potion right myself. We both owe you a huge thanks." She reached out and gave Wes a hug. He was like a brother to her. Plus, he had given up so much for her and Angel to be happy.

He returned that hug. "We're family," he whispered to her. "It’s what we do for each other." And that was the way he felt. He really hadn't a clue as to family until he came to L.A. and joined up with Cordelia and Angel. He'd spent all his younger years in boarding schools and the Watchers' Academy.

Cordy smiled at him as she pulled away from the hug. "Yeah, you are like the annoying older brother that I never wanted. Gunn too. I can only imagine what you two would have done to any boyfriends that weren't Angel. Might have reduced them to stains on the lobby floor."

"I would have never done that," he said. He moved for the front desk.

Ian leaped in front of Uncle Wes and his mother. "Arg! Yo Ho Ho! an' a bottle of bum!"

"Don't even make me start in on how..." She paused as Ian jumped in front of Wes. "Rum, kiddo. It’s rum." She chuckled though since Ian thought it was bum.

Wes chuckled at the boy and rubbed the top of his head. "And a fine pirate you are," he said to Ian. "But you'll have to go elsewhere for your rum."

Ian looked up at the two adults then to his mother. "Katy said we need to go to Disneyland this weekend! I want to ride the pirate ride!"

"Disneyland, huh?" Cordelia looked from Ian over to Angel. "Hey, Ace. The kids want to go to Disneyland this weekend. Think you can open up that wallet of yours?" She gave him a smile though.

Angel heard Cordy call to him by her nick for him. He looked over to her, stopping his story. "This weekend? Uh, sure. We can."

"YAH!" Ian ran to tell his sister though she probably heard since she was in the room.

Kat glanced up when Ian came running at her, shouting. "Ian, I am right here." The lobby wasn't that big so it wasn't that hard for her to have heard it.

Now that the announcements were over, Fred was finally able to see Wes. She smiled at him. She excused herself and moved over to Wes. "Did you get everything you needed?"

Wes smiled at Fred as she came over. "I believe I did," he said as he took her hand and pulled her back into the office, closing the door behind them. He wanted to show her first so it could be their private moment.

She giggled as Wes pulled her into the office to be alone. She didn't think to lock the door. She really didn't think like that. "Wes..." She just shook her head at him and giggled again.

He turned to her from the door and took her into his arms and kissed her. Wesley held her close to him when he finally broke the kiss. For now he just wanted to hold Fred even though now he knew the two of them would have a long, full life together.

That is what worried Fred the most, when he just kissed her and held her. Panic crept into her eyes. "Wes? Did you not...? Its okay, we will find another way. We can go to England or maybe even some weird little island ritual or do we even have to do it legally? Doesn't it count for something if we do some sort of demon rites? What about a soul binding like in the Arache Tribe of Demons?" Fred was talking a mile a minute now because she was worried.

He stepped back from her and held her at arms length. "Fred," he said trying to stop her and get her attention. "Fred, its okay." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope for her.

Fred took the envelope from Wesley. She wasn't exactly sure of what it was but she had a really good idea, especially after Wes' assertions. She opened it and pulled the paper from inside. It was their marriage license, just ready to be legally binding by an officiator. She grinned and threw her arms around him. She just made a happy noise that could have been mistaken for any manner of things.

Out in the lobby Angel finally tore himself away from his story telling and made his way to Cordelia. Coming up behind her he put his arms around her and kissed her on the neck, just below her ear. His hands were on her stomach.

Cordelia was in no mood to be distracted. She had found the dessert at the bottom of the bag, cups of chocolate pudding. Leave it to Faith to make sure there was some kind of sugary and/or chocolately goodness when she brought food. She paused, spoon still in her mouth, as Angel came up behind her. She took the spoon out of her mouth, dipping it back into the chocolate pudding, before offering it to him. "Here, eat this. It’s not as sweet as me but we all know you love it more." She chuckled.

Taking the proffered spoon he ate the pudding off it. "Hmmm, I have an idea," he said and lowered his voice for her ears only. "Let's fill the bathtub up with chocolate pudding and dip you in it. That would be the perfect dessert." Pausing he then added, "And I know the perfect places for the whipped cream and cherries."

She had to laugh out loud when he said, so loud that it caused all the heads assembled there to turn to look at her. She covered her mouth. "Sorry. Carry on with your business." She turned around to look at Angel. "I'd rather not get pudding in places no pudding should ever go. You think sand in the crack is bad?"

"Yeah, but I can get the chocolate...," Angel said but he stopped. He looked to the office. He wasn't sure if anyone else heard that noise or not. "I wonder if everything is okay in there?"

She glanced in the direction that Angel was looking. He was looking towards Wes' office. She glanced back to Angel. "Maybe we should go investigate? I really hope Wolfram and Hart didn't decide to portal a demon in or something."

He looked at Cordy then back to the door and then started moving to it slowly. He was trying to listen for any more indications of something happening. At the window, the blinds closed, Angel paused when he heard something seem to hit the floor from inside.

Cordelia just raised a brow. She moved over by Angel but she didn't hear anything. She crinkled her nose up before calling out, into the crack of the door. "Hey, this is a hotel. Get a room. Some of us are trying to eat out here." She shook her head.

After a few moments Wesley opened the door. Half his shirt was hanging out of his pants and the part that was tucked in was sticking out his partially zipped up fly. His hair was all in disarray also. "Fred and I were just having a discussion," he said clearing his throat.

"Can you have your 'discussion' back at your place because the kids are present here." Cordelia pointed back to them. Ian was busy chowing down on yet another sandwich while Kat was just watching the adults at the office door. Cordy was pretty sure that Kat knew what was going on.

"Yes, well, we do have something to tell everyone," Wes said as he tried to compose himself and glanced back into the office to see how Fred was fairing.

Fred was trying to smooth her hair out. She didn't notice that her shirt was misbuttoned. She pulled her shirt down and gave Wes a smile.

Wes waited for Fred to come to his side. It was not that Ian looked up because it had gotten quiet in the lobby. He came out from where he had been playing. "What's happening," he asked. He looked to the office to see everyone was looking at Uncle Wes.

Cordy glanced over to Ian and then back to Fred. She motioned down her front to let Fred know that her shirt wasn't exactly buttoned properly here. Fred, seeing this, turned quickly to readjust her buttons. Cordy looked back to Ian. "Uncle Wes and Aunt Fred have an announcement." She paused for a moment because that really sounded like they were announcing some gay couple.

"I think they need to be taught how to dress themselves," the boy said and giggled.

Fred turned back around, giving the assembled group a smile. She pushed her glasses up onto her nose. She was lucky those didn't get damaged in the fray. She was bouncing on her heels, trying very hard to keep this secret. She wanted Wes to be the one to spill the beans.

Angel gave Ian a sharp glance and the boy stifled his giggles. Now he was silent for Wes to make his announcement.

The ex-watcher cleared his throat. "Yes, we have an announcement to make everybody," he said jutting his chin out and slipping an arm around Fred. "We are to be married."

Cordelia's brow curved into an arch right above her eye. "Well, duh." She shook her head for a moment. "I mean, congrats and all but...duh."

Angel grinned. "That's great, Wes," he said to his friend. "It seems this family has a lot to celebrate for tonight." Walking over he shook Wesley's hand then looked at Fred and the grin softened to a smile. "You have your handsome man, Fred," he told her. "Granted he didn't save you on a horse."

"No, didn't save me on a horse." Fred looked up at Wes now, adoration and love in her eyes. "But he saved me on a motorcycle, and in an SUV, and one time, saved me on a jet ski."

Faith nudged Gunn in the stomach with her elbow. "Next thing you know, they are going to want you, me, and Gwen to get hitched in some civil union thing. No thanks. You bunch can stick to the marriages and making kids, we will stick to the demon slaughter."

"Oh, nuts," Ian said with a screwed up face. "That means I have to wear another peengein suit!"

Fred looked over to the young boy but she was laughing just a bit. "Wes and I decided to just do something really casual. No big affair like before. We were thinking we could do a BBQ on the beach with some hot dogs, hamburgers, maybe some tacos. And have Lorne fly out to do yet another wedding. He is really going to say he should be charging for them, I just know it. But everyone could just come casual and have a great time. Not that we didn't have a great time at your wedding, Angel or Connor's. Because we did. We had a lot of fun." Fred said, trying to recover.

"COOL," Ian said. "We can bury Uncle Lorne in the sand!" The boy was already making plans.

"Hey!" Cordelia pointed right at her son. "No burying Uncle Lorne. I don't want to have to listen to him complain about how he got sand in his bright orange suit." She was being firm but nothing more with the young man. She knew though that Angel would be the only one who could effectively discipline Ian at times.

"So," Wes said finally, "why don't we all drink and have dinner? Make our plans for the health and future of our family?"

"Most of us already ate while you and Fred were in there bumping and grinding." Faith said. The twins were already looking like they might hit the food coma any moment. Connor had taken food up to Lillian and Cordelia had finished her dessert.

"Oh," Wes said and glanced around. "Then maybe we should say good night?" He looked back to Fred. He wanted to take her back to his apartment so they can celebrate on their own.

Fred giggled when Wes looked back to her. She nodded her head in agreement. "Good night. That sounds like a good idea." Fred moved to give Angel a hug and then moved onto Cordelia before she gave hugs to Charles and a reluctant Faith. The twins were last to get hugs.

Angel watched the two leave and stepped back to the table and grabbed another sandwich. "It seems like we're going to have to go buy more wedding gifts." He took a bite.

Gunn glanced at Angel. He had been quiet for the entirety of the announcement. While he was happy for Wes and Fred, there was a part of him that was sad too, sad for what could have been. He looked to Faith. "Think its time for you and me to go, woman."

Angel stopped chewing and put the sandwich down on a paper plate. He walked over to Gunn, got the guy by the elbow and walked him back to the service entry that led from the big kitchen. "Gunn, what is the problem," he asked. And he did show Gunn that he did still have a bit more strength then average human.

"Nothing, bro. Night is winding down. Me and Faith were heading over to a rendering plant to take care of some demons. You want to come or you going to do the family time thing with your woman and the kids?" Gunn wasn't sure how he was feeling about the new and improved Angel. There was a sense of security in having him be a vampire. Gunn had the knowledge that maybe one day, he might have to stake Angel and that they could never truly be friends. This had turned it all on its ear.

"You just seemed off," he said to Gunn. "Sorry. I'm a bit on edge still. Getting used to this whole new me thing." He relaxed some. "I think I better stay in tonight after the day of travel. Thanks for asking."


"Plenty more demons and vampires out there in L.A. Won't be a shortage tomorrow." He gave Angel a grin before moving back to where he left Faith. "Woman! Let's roll." When he walked by Ian, he ruffled the boy's hair. Faith was already ready to go. Too much family time was making her antsy. She waved to the remaining group before she left with Gunn.

Ian slapped Gunn's hand away and acted like he was going to come up with a leg kick at him. When he and Uncle Gunn played they played rough. But Gunn just shook his head at the flea of a boy.

"Okay, kiddos," Angel called to the twins, "Time to go up and get your bath. But the time you're done Mom and I'll be done down here and we'll be up to tuck you in."

Cordelia patted Angel's chest as she went to round up the twins. "No, YOU will be done down here. I need to go up and supervise the bath. You might still have good hearing now but it’s not vampire hearing and you don't have the vampire speed if something happens. Plus Connor and Lillian are busy themselves. No unsupervised baths until they are older, remember?"

Angel sighed, something he hadn't been able to do it over 200 years. He looked around at the table and the mess. So he went and got the waste can and came back to start cleaning up. "Is it too late to go out and play with Gunn," he called after Cordy as she took the kids up.

"You can go out and play after you clean up this mess. You are the one that wanted to Shanshu, now you have to deal with the after party." She gave him a smile before giving the twins a light tap on the butt. "Let's get moving. Disneyland this weekend."

Kat looked up at her mother, beaming at the prospect of getting to go to Disneyland...in the daytime...with her father. "I am so excited. I want to go on the teacup rides and I want to see the castle. Do you think I will get to meet Ariel or Belle?"

"The Pirates," Ian said, "I want to ride the Pirates and Haunted House!"

Disneyland. The Land of the Mouse. Angel had been here several times but it was mostly business and at night. Now here in the daylight it was something totally new to him. He and the twins were coming off the Pirates of the Caribbean ride for the third time, laughing to find Cordelia sitting on a bench.

"Man," he said as they stopped in front of Cordy, "that is about the coolest ride. Well, next to Space Mountain, and maybe The Haunted Mansion."

Ian laughed. "I like it when we get splashed," the boy said as he grabbed his mother's hand. "We want to go see Robinson's Tree again."

"Well," Cordelia said as she looked down at Ian's hand, "it’s Kat's turn to pick. You boys picked the last two rides." She glanced over at Angel, happy that he was so happy. She had never seen him grinning that wide before in all the years that she had known him. "And you two still haven't been on the Indiana Jones ride or the Star Wars ride."

Kat was perched on her father's shoulders, taking up that residence as soon as they left any ride. She tapped her chin as she thought. A sort of childish brooding old Angel face came over her. "I think... I want ice cream!" She exclaimed, gently patting her horse's (her father's) head.

Ian jumped up on the bench then jumped down. "Yah," he called out. "Ice Cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" He repeated jumping up and back down on the bench.

Angel reached up and tickled Kat in the sides lightly. "Oh, we know why she is being so nice about suggesting ice cream, don't we," he said as his fingers tickled her.

"Ian, easy there. Settle down." Cordy reached over and tried to get the kid from jumping up and down and shouting. She looked over at Angel, pleading for some help to handle him. He had been keyed up since last night and no one had gotten any sleep.

Kat giggled and squirmed as much as she could on her father's shoulders without falling right off. "Why do I want ice cream, daddy?"

Angel grabbed his son by the collar after the stopped tickling Kat. But his reply was to his daughter. "Well, somebody wants to ride the tea cups, go to the castle and ride Small World."

"I still get more turns. I can go on those rides then. I want ice cream now. My tummy is rumbling." She put her small hands on her stomach and looked down at it. As if on cue, it grumbled at her.

Cordy watched Angel as he grabbed Ian by the collar. She was convinced now that they needed to get the kids socialized. She looked down at the map, trying to find the nearest food stand with ice cream.

Angel looked up the street. "It’s that way," he said to Cordy. He waited for her to stand, still holding on to Ian.

“How did I know you would know exactly where the food was at this place?” She stood up and moved so that she could stand at Angel's side. She gave him a smile. She loved seeing him this happy and admittedly, she loved that she was the cause of that happiness. She was willing to bet than neither Darla nor Buffy would have risked their lives for a chance to achieve his Shanshu. Then again, neither of them would have been the key to it.

"Do we have to go see that castle," Ian asked. "It’s for girls."

Angel tugged on the boy's collar. "Katy has gone where you wanted the last two times now it’s her turn. Yes, you have to go."

"You have to learn that it’s not always your way or the highway, kiddo. When it’s your turn, then you get to pick where to go. After Kat, it’s Dad's turn, then yours again." Cordelia had taken herself out of the turn rotation. This day was for the kids and for Angel.

Finding an old fashioned ice cream parlor Angel pulled Kat off his shoulders so they could order. As the kids worked on deciding he turned to Cordelia. "Have I told you I love you today?"

She smiled at Angel. "This morning. Before and after that special wake up that you gave me." She nudged Angel gently. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Let me guess, you are going to get the rocky road?"

Angel just chuckled at that and walked them on up to the counter. The kids put in their order and he did his, yes it was Rocky Road. However, he got it in a bowl with two spoons.

She laughed when Angel did that. She nudged him. "You are that cheap that I don't get my own ice cream?" She was merely teasing him. She didn't mind sharing with him, even if she knew that he would be eating most of it. She knew better than to get between Angel and chocolate.

Taking up a spoon he ate some and smiled at her. "There's always seconds if I want more," he told her through that grin. "This way neither of us eats more then we should."

"Angel, you have been gorging yourself on junk food ever since you Shanshu'ed. No one is going to be afraid of a tubby Champion." She walked to a table and sat down. She waited for the kids to take a seat as well. "What did you two get?"

Kat was busy licking her ice cream to keep it from melting down off her cone. She smiled at her mother. "Mint Chocolate Chip. Just like you get." Kat offered the cone to Cordelia with a big smile. This was so great. She could talk to the baby and her parents were back together and her daddy was out in the sunshine.

Ian sat down also and was already at work on his cone. "I got chocolate chip cookie dough," he said between bites. Ice cream was on his nose and chin.

Angel stopped and looked at the ice cream then down at his stomach. "But being like this I'm hungry," he said. "And when I get done with a fight...I feel like I could eat a horse. Besides the other side effects."

"If I come home and you are elbow deep in a thoroughbred, it’s over." Cordy leaned over so that she could take a small bite from Kat's cone. She smiled at the little girl. "Thank you, Kat. What about you, Ian? You going to share with me? I think if I try to share with dad, he will bite my arm off."

Ian looked at his mother then his father then back. "But I thought he couldn't get fangs anymore?" When he said that a couple had passed and looked over at the family with raised brows. Ian didn't notice. He held his cone up to his mother. "There's a big piece of cookie dough on top."

"Ooooh, my favorite." She leaned over to take a bite from the cone. Again, she didn't take a big one. She didn't want to take away from the kids. She sat back up. Whatever people overheard, they would probably just think it was kids saying the darndest things. "So whose turn is it after ice cream?"

Ian knew who's turn it was so he didn't speak up he just worked on his ice cream. So far Katy hadn't told on him about saying how he wished to be a vampire like their father, or like he was, because he knew he'd get the lecture of a life time from them. It was nice to have a family day literally in the day, but still, would the slayers and the two kids that belonged to a couple of the slayers think he was still cool since his father wasn't a vampire anymore.

Ian wasn't one that was usually quiet so that instantly alerted Cordelia that something was wrong. "Ian, what's up? Are you upset because its dad's turn to pick? I promise, he won't be allowed to pick Country Bears again."

Ian looked up at his mother. He seemed to be wearing more ice cream then eating it. "Nothing," he told her. "I was just thinking. Ice cream makes me think. It’s my braims food."

"Ice cream makes you think, huh? What big thoughts were you having?" She glanced at Angel quickly, giving him a bit of a smile. He wasn't exactly sharing a whole lot of that Rocky Road ice cream with her. She reached into her purse, getting out the handiwipes to clean Ian off with.

Kat looked at her father and she couldn't hide the twinkle in her eye at how happy she was. She offered her cone to him in case he wanted a taste as well. "Daddy, you want some mint chocolate chip?"

Angel leaned over to Kat. As he did he took his spoon and offered a bite to her as he took one from her cone. "Mmmmm," he said closing his eyes. "It is so hard for me to decide what my favorite is."

Ian just shrugged. "Just stuffs," he said. He wasn't about to say what stuff. Suddenly he looked up and grinned. He pointed yelling, "IT’S GOOFY!"

Kat giggled at her dad. She took the spoonful of ice cream from him with a smile. "Daddy, you are silly. You don't have to pick. You can love them both." Kat just grinned at him and it was quite clear, she wasn't talking about ice cream. She shot Ian a look though. "Do you have to yell?"

Cordy was busy trying to clean Ian off when he started pointing and yelling. "Hey hey, kiddo. Sit down, let me get you cleaned up and then you can go say hello to Goofy. Even get your picture taken with him."

"MOMMY," he said squirming to try and get up. "He's walking away!"

Cordy looked at Angel as she tried to keep Ian still. "Champ, can you go stop a 7 foot dog for me?" She was desperately trying to wipe at Ian's face to get all the sticky ice cream off. It wasn't going well with him trying to get away.

He looked at his son. "Ian, sit still or you won't get to see him at all," Angel said as he stood. He turned to head for the character and then paused as he approached. He frowned at Goofy.

She caught sight of that frown and she knew exactly what it meant. She looked to Kat, handing her the box of handiwipes. "Kat, clean your brother up. And don't give me any gruff." She stood up from where she was sitting. She was already reaching into her bag to pull something out. She knew Angel was smart enough not to stake Goofy right here in the middle of the park, not with all the kids around.

Kat sighed heavily, wounded by the fact she needed to clean Ian up. "Come here." She grabbed Ian and yanked him over by the arm. She wasn't gentle like their mother. She was practically slapping him when she cleaned his face off.

Angel backed away a bit and looked back to Cordy. It wasn't hard to believe that a vampire would take a job like this. It would be all covered from the sunlight, make a little cash and mark its innocent prey. Leaning to Cordy to whisper to her, not wanting any chance for Goofy to over hear he spoke, "I'm going to follow it. They are required to take breaks pretty often to get out of those things. Vampire wouldn't want to push it and be noticed."

She slipped Angel a stake and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She wanted to make sure she was close to him to prevent Goofy from seeing the stake slippage. "I am eating the rest of your ice cream while you are gone." She whispered back to him. She pulled away and headed back for the kids. "Sorry guys, Goofy has to go on a break."

Ian was sitting still. He watched his parents, and yes, the wheels were turning in his head. He knew that their mother would take them on walking because dad would find them. But he just remained silent now while sitting there.

"So what ride do we want to go on next? How about Peter Pan? I liked that one when I was growing up." She finished cleaning Ian up. Kat had already cleaned herself up. She gathered up all the trash, throwing it away. "Your dad wants to go on the Matterhorn so we will wait until he comes back for that one."

"Yeah, sure," Ian replied all too easily. He was going to wait for the right moment when his mom and sister weren’t paying attention.

Cordelia got up off the bench and got all their things together. At least they hadn't gone to the gift shop yet. She took Kat's hand and then Ian's hand, walking them towards Fantasyland. Kat gasped though, tugging on her mom's hand. "Mom..." she whispered, as if it might break the spell, "It’s...Belle. Can I...can I please go say hello?"

Cordelia hid her snickers from Kat. The poor girl was so excited. Her eyes were so big with wonder and excitement. She started to walk both of the kids over towards the character.

Kat broke away from her mother and went running for the Disney Princess. Who could resist the girl who fell in love with the Beast? It reminded her of her mommy and daddy. Cordy let go of Ian's hand to go rushing after Kat. "Kat! Come back here!"

Ian bided his time; he could do that when he wanted. He knew his mother would get just as wrapped up in Belle as Katy because, well, because they were girls. "Mommy, while you and Kat see Belle I need to go pee." he pointed to the restroom just off to the right.

Cordy looked back to Ian, she was busy trying to keep Kat from tripping over herself to meet Belle. "Okay, but be right back. Don't talk to strangers. I am keeping an eye on you."

Ian ran for the bathroom and glanced back at his mother. He waited for a crowd of people to pass and he moved right with them then ran off in the direction he saw his father and Goofy go. He could track like his father and older brother, maybe not as good but he could. Tracking his father was easy since he was familiar. Finally, he spotted Goofy first. The costumed character was shaking hands with a boy before he turned and went into an area that had restricted posted. Then he saw his father. Angel paused, waited and followed Goofy into that area.

Angel followed Goofy as he walked among the grounds. This was so wrong on many levels and yet what better way to hide then in the open for something evil. But this was a beloved children's character. He wanted to be alone when he took out the vamp. He didn't want to be known as the one that killed Goofy.

Goofy moved to a darkened area and pulled the head off. He set it to the side. He pulled a pack of cigarettes out from inside his costume. He shook one free of the pack and brought it up to his lips. He already picked out a couple of good marks. Once the park got dark, he would feast. Too many people got distracted by the nightly fireworks and it was easy to steal a couple of kids away.

Angel waited a few moments then stepped out. "Excuse me," he said, "but I thought the sign back there said restrooms this way? And I don't think you should be smoking in company uniform."

Goofy looked over at the guy that just came out. He was getting a rather weird feeling from the guy. He wasn't human but he couldn't place what the guy was. "I am in the shadows. And this is a restricted area."

Ian got in his best sneaky mode and found a hiding place behind a barrel. He watched as he father talked to Goofy.

"Not restricted enough," Angel told the vampire. Then he lunged for him, the stake out and ready. He tackled the vampire off his seat and for the hard asphalt ground.

It was a good thing for the vampire that Angel had knocked him back into the shadows instead of out into the sunlight. The vampire growled and brought his knee up into Angel to get him off.

Angel rolled but came up on his feet. In a fluid motion he brought his leg up in a spinning kick to get the vampire in the head.

Ian watched this fight and he balled his little fists. He was punching at nothing but was trying to imitate his father's moves.

The vampire ducked the kick to the head but brought a fist to Angel's middle. The fist connected with enough force to send Angel stumbling back.

Angel stumbled but came up, stake in hand and went to drive it into the vampire's chest. When the creature went to dust the Goofy suit collapsed. Before Ian could come from his concealment somebody in came out of the building.

Looking at Angel holding the costume, the guy frowned. "What are you doing here, dude," he said. "You're supposed to be out there, your break is up."

Angel tried to get a word in but the guy turned on his heals and headed back in calling over his shoulder, "Get out there and make smiles on the kids’ faces...NOW!" And the door shut behind him.

Ian came out and ran up to his father. "Wow, that was just as good as when you were a vampire," he said and flung his arms around his father's leg. He looked up.

Cordelia had snapped a few photos of Kat with Belle but when she turned around, Ian still hadn't returned from the men's room. She stopped a passerby, showing him a picture of her son on the digital camera, asking the man if he could go inside and check for Ian. He came out, shaking his head. Cordelia was frantic now. She grabbed her cellphone, dialing Angel's, hoping that he picked up.



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